Orgasms Improve Relationships

How an Orgasm Can Boost Your Relationship

You know, besides the obvious reasons

How an Orgasm Can Boost Your Relationship You know, besides the obvious reasons

SvetlanaFedoseyeva/Shutterstock

You might not say much during sex (other than the occasional "Yes!" or "Right there!"), but what you talk about after sex can have a long-lasting, positive impact on your relationship—that is, if you have an orgasm, a new study found.

According to recent research published in Communication Monographs, post-sex pillow talk is more open and intimate when you climax compared to when you don't, because of the flood of oxytocin in your bloodstream that accompanies an orgasm. This pro-social hormone is linked with disclosing positive information due to the feelings of comfort and safety it produces, which leads people to be less cautious with their words and let things "slip out" that they normally wouldn’t (which may explain tons of "I love you" declarations made in an orgasm fog).

In the study, 253 men and women ranging in age from 18-45 were asked to log into an online diary within two hours of any sexual activity. They then answered questions about whether or not they had an orgasm, if they discussed anything after sex, what level of intimacy their discussion reached, and how they felt about it. Over the course of two weeks, the results showed that individuals who reached orgasm were more likely to see benefits from disclosing positive feelings to their partners post-sex than those who didn't. Essentially, they said some mushy stuff after hooking up, and they felt really good about it.

And interestingly, researchers linked this heightened level of post-coital sharing to other positive communication between partners. Since sexual communication has been shown to influence both sexual and relationship satisfaction overall, opening up after climaxing is a great way to strengthen your connection. Translation: An orgasm is basically blissful, bonding truth serum.